Claudia Anzini Annotation 7 4/25/14 The Persuaders Word Count: 1,291
1. Title, director, and release year?
Fresh. Directed by Barak Goodman & Rachel Dretzin. Released 2003.
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film The Persuaders focused on the current state of the advertising industry in the United States. By using key words that clarify the intent of a product or evoke emotions about it, marketers have been able to target consumers in new ways. It shows how advertisers attempt to break through all the clutter of products already out there and brand an image around a product, rather than show the benefits of the product itself.
3. How is the argument or narrative made and sustained? How much scientific information is provided, for example? Does the film have emotional appeal?
The Persuaders takes a slightly different approach to the normal idea of following people involved in the marketing industry or interviewing consumers. Instead they get involved in the process of marketing Delta’s new carrier, Song. They show exactly what it is like for a product to go through advertising, from the commercials produced for it, to the words used to describe it. Additionally, it follows focus groups being interviewed about how certain words make them feel or how well those words describe a product. While the information provided cannot be considered hard scientific fact, the results that come of all this market research speak for themselves. Overall though, the film used these techniques of breaking down the process to get its point across, and stayed away from the emotional appeal of the negative effects of marketing.
4. What sustainability problems does the film draw out; political, legal, economic, technological, media and informational,organizational, educational, behavioral, cultural, or ecological?
The film really drew out the sustainability problem of media and information that is being made available to consumers and how this has a negative political and economic effect on Americans. By using newer techniques to “break through the clutter” marketers are really just encouraging people to overconsume. While consumption is always a company’s end goal for a product, this is now being done in a way that no longer benefits the customer. People are purchasing products based on the emotional appeal or the wording of an advertisement and not on the positive qualities of an item.
Take a look at the hummer. This car guzzles gas, which is both bad for sustaining personal finances and the environment. With the current method of advertising, owning a hummer can mean different things to different people, such as luxury, power, or wealth. Using the current model for advertising, the eco-conscious shopper might be made to feel that buying this car will make them feel any of those things, regardless of the environmental impact that the car has. This form of advertising encourages consumers to overlook aspects of a product that they might once have coveted in an attempt to feel the way these advertisements say they should.
Additionally, these ideas behind advertising have been taken to the political level and used within the government. Elected officials might use focus groups as a means to sway voters towards supporting their laws or policy changes. One example of this is the use of the word death tax. Before these words were put together, it had been more widely known as an estate tax. Hearing this made people think it was a luxury tax placed on people who were wealthy. By stating what it really was, a tax placed on your estate once you pass, people were more compelled to support banning this tax.
5. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I thought the different approach to how the film presented it facts was the most compelling aspect of it. By not just interviewing people who worked in the industry, but really getting an idea of what their job entails, I better understood why each aspect of the marketing industry is needed. It also helped me to understand why techniques used in marketing might become an issue within the political world by being able to sway people to support things they might not usually have.
6. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?
I don’t think I found any of this film to not be compelling. After viewing it, I learned that advertising is more than just creatively made ads and widely place billboards.
7. What audiences does the film best address? Why?
I think this film is best suited for all audiences since the film was easy to follow. Younger audiences might not understand the intent behind this film as they usually don’t feel like the target of the advertising industry. By watching it though, it could change their opinions on how they make purchasing decisions or how they encourage their parents to purchase things for them. The average consumer would also benefit greatly to, in a sense, pull the blinders off their eyes so that they think twice before being strongly compelled by an advertisement or product placement.
8. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
On its own, this film does not make a good environmental educational tool. If more points were added on why consumption is bad, not just how advertising is a consumption problem, then the film would make more sense as a sustainability tool. To do this, the film could be a series, where this introduces the problem and the second film shows the impact to the economy and the environment of consumers who fall prey to these advertisements. Additionally, by showing giving suggestions for change, either by the consumer or to the advertising industry, it would make this film seem more complete.
9. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective.
The film does not suggest any points of intervention about this topic. From it though, one big change can be inferred; the education of the consumer. For this to be beneficial though, education would have to start at a young age. By adding sustainability education to a school’s curriculum, starting as early as kindergarten, students can see the benefits of making greener decisions. To build on this education as students get older, marketing and purchasing courses should become mandatory. Within these classes students will learn the impacts of their decisions and how to combat advertisements and make smarting choices when purchasing products.
10. What additional information has this film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references.)
After watching this film, I was curious about the actual impact that the marketing for Song had. Overall, I learned that the airline failed only three years after it hit the market. Some claim that this was because Delta filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2006, others blame the type of marketing use to sell this product.
The idea for this product was to create a brand identity and not focus solely on the features of the product. This is where Song really failed. At the time, and this might still hold true years later, Song had one of the most unique and luxurious low-fare airlines on the market. Unlike other companies, the lower cost product came at a high quality and offered amenities that most airlines didn’t. Yet despite this high quality, the airline never made any profit. If it had focused more on the features being offered and less on creating an image of the brand, more consumers might have felt compelled to utilize this airline.
Annotation 7
4/25/14
The Persuaders
Word Count: 1,291
1. Title, director, and release year?
Fresh. Directed by Barak Goodman & Rachel Dretzin. Released 2003.
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film The Persuaders focused on the current state of the advertising industry in the United States. By using key words that clarify the intent of a product or evoke emotions about it, marketers have been able to target consumers in new ways. It shows how advertisers attempt to break through all the clutter of products already out there and brand an image around a product, rather than show the benefits of the product itself.
3. How is the argument or narrative made and sustained? How much scientific information is provided, for example? Does the film have emotional appeal?
The Persuaders takes a slightly different approach to the normal idea of following people involved in the marketing industry or interviewing consumers. Instead they get involved in the process of marketing Delta’s new carrier, Song. They show exactly what it is like for a product to go through advertising, from the commercials produced for it, to the words used to describe it. Additionally, it follows focus groups being interviewed about how certain words make them feel or how well those words describe a product. While the information provided cannot be considered hard scientific fact, the results that come of all this market research speak for themselves. Overall though, the film used these techniques of breaking down the process to get its point across, and stayed away from the emotional appeal of the negative effects of marketing.
4. What sustainability problems does the film draw out; political, legal, economic, technological, media and informational,organizational, educational, behavioral, cultural, or ecological?
The film really drew out the sustainability problem of media and information that is being made available to consumers and how this has a negative political and economic effect on Americans. By using newer techniques to “break through the clutter” marketers are really just encouraging people to overconsume. While consumption is always a company’s end goal for a product, this is now being done in a way that no longer benefits the customer. People are purchasing products based on the emotional appeal or the wording of an advertisement and not on the positive qualities of an item.
Take a look at the hummer. This car guzzles gas, which is both bad for sustaining personal finances and the environment. With the current method of advertising, owning a hummer can mean different things to different people, such as luxury, power, or wealth. Using the current model for advertising, the eco-conscious shopper might be made to feel that buying this car will make them feel any of those things, regardless of the environmental impact that the car has. This form of advertising encourages consumers to overlook aspects of a product that they might once have coveted in an attempt to feel the way these advertisements say they should.
Additionally, these ideas behind advertising have been taken to the political level and used within the government. Elected officials might use focus groups as a means to sway voters towards supporting their laws or policy changes. One example of this is the use of the word death tax. Before these words were put together, it had been more widely known as an estate tax. Hearing this made people think it was a luxury tax placed on people who were wealthy. By stating what it really was, a tax placed on your estate once you pass, people were more compelled to support banning this tax.
5. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I thought the different approach to how the film presented it facts was the most compelling aspect of it. By not just interviewing people who worked in the industry, but really getting an idea of what their job entails, I better understood why each aspect of the marketing industry is needed. It also helped me to understand why techniques used in marketing might become an issue within the political world by being able to sway people to support things they might not usually have.
6. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?
I don’t think I found any of this film to not be compelling. After viewing it, I learned that advertising is more than just creatively made ads and widely place billboards.
7. What audiences does the film best address? Why?
I think this film is best suited for all audiences since the film was easy to follow. Younger audiences might not understand the intent behind this film as they usually don’t feel like the target of the advertising industry. By watching it though, it could change their opinions on how they make purchasing decisions or how they encourage their parents to purchase things for them. The average consumer would also benefit greatly to, in a sense, pull the blinders off their eyes so that they think twice before being strongly compelled by an advertisement or product placement.
8. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
On its own, this film does not make a good environmental educational tool. If more points were added on why consumption is bad, not just how advertising is a consumption problem, then the film would make more sense as a sustainability tool. To do this, the film could be a series, where this introduces the problem and the second film shows the impact to the economy and the environment of consumers who fall prey to these advertisements. Additionally, by showing giving suggestions for change, either by the consumer or to the advertising industry, it would make this film seem more complete.
9. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective.
The film does not suggest any points of intervention about this topic. From it though, one big change can be inferred; the education of the consumer. For this to be beneficial though, education would have to start at a young age. By adding sustainability education to a school’s curriculum, starting as early as kindergarten, students can see the benefits of making greener decisions. To build on this education as students get older, marketing and purchasing courses should become mandatory. Within these classes students will learn the impacts of their decisions and how to combat advertisements and make smarting choices when purchasing products.
10. What additional information has this film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references.)
After watching this film, I was curious about the actual impact that the marketing for Song had. Overall, I learned that the airline failed only three years after it hit the market. Some claim that this was because Delta filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2006, others blame the type of marketing use to sell this product.
The idea for this product was to create a brand identity and not focus solely on the features of the product. This is where Song really failed. At the time, and this might still hold true years later, Song had one of the most unique and luxurious low-fare airlines on the market. Unlike other companies, the lower cost product came at a high quality and offered amenities that most airlines didn’t. Yet despite this high quality, the airline never made any profit. If it had focused more on the features being offered and less on creating an image of the brand, more consumers might have felt compelled to utilize this airline.
Citations
http://eloquiumblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/a-sad-song-the-failure-of-song-airlines/
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/28/business/28cnd-air.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_(airline)